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Free CFRE Practice Questions

10 free, exam-style Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) practice questions with answers and explanations. No signup required. Work through them below, then take the full free CFRE practice test to study every exam domain.

The CFRE exam has 200 questions and runs 4 hours.

These 10 free CFRE questions are organized by exam domain, so you can see how each part of the Certified Fund Raising Executive blueprint is tested. Reveal the answer and explanation under each question.

Domain 1: Current and Prospective Donor Research 15% of exam

Question 1

During a prospect rating session, the development team evaluates a community business leader. She has significant wealth (Ability: High), her company has partnered with the organization on two projects (Linkage: High), but she has never attended an event, made a gift, or expressed interest in the mission (Interest: Low). The MOST appropriate next step is to:

  1. Ask the board member who knows her to make an immediate solicitation based on their personal relationship
  2. Remove her from the prospect pool since all three LAI factors must be high before proceeding
  3. Design a cultivation strategy focused on building her connection to the mission through personalized engagement before any solicitation
  4. Place her in the solicitation queue since high ability and linkage are sufficient for a successful ask
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Design a cultivation strategy focused on building her connection to the mission through personalized engagement before any solicitation

Domain 2: Securing the Gift 22% of exam

Question 2

An organization is planning a $3 million capital campaign. The gift range chart indicates that 4 gifts at the $100,000 level are needed. Using a prospect-to-gift ratio of 4:1, how many qualified prospects must the organization identify at this giving level?

  1. 12 prospects
  2. 8 prospects
  3. 4 prospects
  4. 16 prospects
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D - 16 prospects

Question 3

An organization had 2,400 donors last fiscal year. This year, 1,320 of those donors made another gift. In addition, the organization acquired 600 new first-time donors. What is the organization's donor retention rate?

  1. 80%
  2. 55%
  3. 66%
  4. 45%
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - 55%

Domain 3: Relationship Building 29% of exam

Question 4

A development officer identifies a prospect with strong financial capacity and good connections to the board. After confirming these factors through a peer screening session, the officer immediately schedules a face-to-face meeting to ask for a $50,000 gift. This approach is MOST problematic because:

  1. Peer screening sessions are insufficient for determining prospect capacity without additional wealth screening and research verification
  2. The development officer should have conducted a formal capacity assessment and rating analysis before determining the appropriate solicitation approach
  3. The ask amount should have been validated through comprehensive prospect research and strategic gift planning rather than peer input alone
  4. The officer skipped the cultivation stage, which is essential for building the trust and engagement needed for a successful major gift solicitation
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: D - The officer skipped the cultivation stage, which is essential for building the trust and engagement needed for a successful major gift solicitation

Question 5

A first-time donor gives $75 through the organization's website after seeing a social media post. Research shows that first-year donor retention is the most critical transition in the donor lifecycle. Which stewardship approach will MOST effectively increase the likelihood of a second gift?

  1. Send a prompt, personalized thank-you message that welcomes them, shares a specific story of impact, and invites further engagement with the organization
  2. Send a generic thank-you email template within 48 hours and include a request for a larger gift next time
  3. Mail a formal acknowledgment letter with tax receipt and add them to the quarterly newsletter mailing list
  4. Call the donor within one week to thank them personally and ask if they would consider monthly giving
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - Send a prompt, personalized thank-you message that welcomes them, shares a specific story of impact, and invites further engagement with the organization

Question 6

A supporter pays $350 to attend a charity auction dinner. The fair market value of the dinner, entertainment, and a gift bag is $95. The organization's written acknowledgment must disclose that:

  1. The donor must provide additional documentation to substantiate the charitable portion of the payment
  2. Goods and services valued at $95 were provided, and only $255 may be considered a tax-deductible contribution
  3. The organization must refund $95 to the donor if they wish to claim the full charitable deduction
  4. The payment qualifies as a charitable contribution only if the donor waives receipt of goods and services
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Goods and services valued at $95 were provided, and only $255 may be considered a tax-deductible contribution

Domain 4: Volunteer Involvement 6% of exam

Question 7

A long-standing board member tells the development director, 'I joined this board to provide strategic oversight, not to ask my friends for money. Fundraising makes me very uncomfortable.' The MOST effective response is to:

  1. Suggest the board member resign if they are unwilling to fulfill fundraising duties
  2. Explain that fundraising is a core board responsibility and provide training and mentoring support
  3. Assign the board member only to prospects they do not know personally to reduce discomfort
  4. Respect the board member's boundaries and exempt them from all fundraising expectations
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: B - Explain that fundraising is a core board responsibility and provide training and mentoring support

Domain 5: Leadership and Management 18% of exam

Question 8

A development audit reveals that a single annual gala generates 65% of the organization's total fundraising revenue. The remaining 35% comes from a small annual fund and two foundation grants. The auditor should identify this as:

  1. A significant organizational risk due to over-reliance on a single revenue source, with a recommendation to develop a diversification plan
  2. A positive indicator of donor engagement and event management excellence that should be maintained and replicated across other programs
  3. An acceptable fundraising portfolio balance provided the gala has demonstrated consistent performance over multiple consecutive years
  4. A strategic opportunity to leverage the gala's success by increasing ticket prices and expanding corporate sponsorship levels
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: A - A significant organizational risk due to over-reliance on a single revenue source, with a recommendation to develop a diversification plan

Domain 6: Ethics, Accountability, and Professionalism 10% of exam

Question 9

A nonprofit board offers a newly hired development director compensation of a base salary of $60,000 plus a bonus equal to 8% of all new gifts raised during the fiscal year. According to the AFP Code of Ethical Standards, the development director should:

  1. Negotiate for a higher base salary with the bonus structure remaining unchanged
  2. Accept the offer but request a cap on the bonus amount to limit ethical exposure
  3. Raise concerns about the percentage-based bonus and propose alternative performance metrics
  4. Accept the offer since it includes a reasonable base salary alongside the performance incentive
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Raise concerns about the percentage-based bonus and propose alternative performance metrics

Question 10

A donor gives $15,000 designated for a youth mentoring program. Due to budget pressures, the executive director instructs the development director to redirect the funds to cover a general operating deficit, promising to replenish the mentoring fund later. The development director should:

  1. Redirect the funds only if the board treasurer approves the transfer in writing
  2. Redirect the funds but inform the donor that a temporary reallocation was necessary
  3. Refuse and explain that using restricted funds for undesignated purposes violates donor intent and ethical standards
  4. Comply with the executive director's instruction since they have organizational authority over financial decisions
Show answer & explanation

Correct answer: C - Refuse and explain that using restricted funds for undesignated purposes violates donor intent and ethical standards

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